1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reproducing machine and a method of determining reproducing conditions, and more particularly to a method of determining reproducing conditions which determine conditions for reproducing images which are recorded on a photographic film having an information recording section, and to a reproducing machine to which the method of determining reproducing conditions is applicable.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a photographic film (which is referred to as an APS film hereinafter) on which a magnetic recording layer is formed by a transparent magnetic material being coated thereon has been known. Because information or the like indicating photographic conditions such as an exposure and the like at the time of photographing are recorded on the magnetic recording layer of an APS film by a camera, negative images are printed at a photo-finishing laboratory (hereinafter referred to just as a laboratory) by determining an exposure amount with respect to a negative image on the basis of information or the like indicating photographic conditions which have been recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the APS film so that in accordance with photographic conditions or the like, images with high quality can be printed. Further, for example, various instructions provided for a laboratory including a print aspect ratio, the number of prints and the like can be recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the APS film and various instructions can be transmitted to the laboratory via the magnetic recording layer of the APS film.
An FTPM (Fixed Timer Printing Method) signal may be recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the APS film. The FTPM signal is a signal which instructs a laboratory to expose all of the images recorded on the APS film by the same exposure amount. The FTPM signal is recorded on the magnetic recording layer by a user via a camera or the like especially in a case in which all of the images which have been recorded on the APS film must have a fixed finish, as is the case of a portrait photo to be attached to an identification card, a product sample photo or the like, or in a case in which an exposure amount for each of negative images at the time of photographing is deliberately changed by the photographer (user)'s intention.
In a case in which the FTPM signal is recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the APS film, at a laboratory, all of the images recorded on the APS film are exposed to a reproducing material by the same exposure amount, and images are printed. However, in a case in which all of the images are instructed to be exposed onto the APS film by the same exposure amount in accordance with the FTPM signal, no concrete method for determining an exposure amount for all of the images in order to make prints each having a proper finish among all of the images has been made apparent.
What can be generally considered as a method for controlling exposure amount for each of images which are instructed to be exposed by the same exposure amount is a so-called `timer exposure method` by which each image is exposed by a predetermined amount of exposure during a fixed period of time.
In accordance with the timer exposure, because each image is exposed by the same exposure amount regardless of the density or the like at the main or background portion of the image, the print finish does not vary due to a density or the like at a main or background portion of the image (a so-called object dependency does not exist). However, as compared to an ordinary exposure control method in which each image is metered and an exposure amount for the image is determined on the basis of a mean density of the image, in the timer exposure method, there is a drawback in that, because variation in the sensitivity of a photographic film or in a development process of the photographic film is not reflected in the exposure amount, and is not corrected therefore, the possibility for obtaining a print image having a proper finish is excessively low.
In view of the aforementioned, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 4-319933 discloses a photographic printing method in which, when the images, which are photographed and recorded on a photographic film by a camera provided with a function to meter the images by a plurality of metering elements and determine an exposure, are printed, a plurality of image frames are metered, a print exposure amount is determined on the basis of a mean value of the metered values of all of the image frames, and the plurality of image frames are printed in accordance with the thus determined print exposure amount. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 6-160996 discloses a photographic printing method in which images recorded on a photographic film are sorted into groups in accordance with photographic conditions, and the images which have been sorted into the same group are printed by the same or similar exposure amount.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 4-352148 discloses a photographic printing method in which, when the images, which have been photographed and recorded on a photographic film by a camera provided with a function to meter the images by a plurality of metering elements and determine exposure at the time of focusing, are printed, the focused metering area is made to be an area in which a main object is disposed, the area is metered for each of a plurality of image frames, a print exposure amount is determined on the basis of a mean value of the metered values, and a plurality of image frames are printed on a printing paper on the basis of the thus determined print exposure amount.
In the art of any of the above-described applications, a print exposure amount is determined on the basis of a mean value of metered values of the images which have been photographed by a camera which can determine an exposure with a high degree of accuracy.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-72647, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-72648, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-72649, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-127270, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 6-167756 disclose a method of determining a print exposure amount on the basis of a ratio of an image density value for each of image frames with respect to a mean value of metered values obtained by metering a plurality of image frames of a film, the film being photographed by a camera which can determine a proper exposure, or on the basis of an exposure correction amount which is determined by photographic conditions.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 6-208178 discloses a method of determining a print exposure amount on the basis of a print density control amount common to a plurality of image frames which have been photographed by a camera which can automatically determine an exposure amount, and a color balance control amount which is determined for each of the image frames in accordance with metered values of the image frames.
In this way, it has been conventionally proposed that, with respect to all of the images which are recorded on a photographic film, or all of the images which are selected by identifying exposure accuracy or metering accuracy of a camera, a common exposure amount is determined for each of the images on the basis of a mean value of metered values of respective images, or an exposure amount for each image is determined by further effecting various corrections on the common exposure amount.
However, as described above, assuming that a common exposure amount is determined on the basis of a mean value of metered values (a mean value of density values) and a plurality of images which are instructed by the FTPM signal to be exposed by the same exposure amount are exposed by the determined common exposure amount, even if the exposure which has been determined by a camera at the time of photographing is accurate, in a case in which all or a large number of images are those which are photographed in a relatively bright background, all of the photographic prints resulting from respective images are images having a high degree of density. Meanwhile, in a case in which all or a large number of images are those which are photographed in a relatively dark background (for example, images with a night view photographed or the like), all of the photographic prints obtained from respective images are images having a low degree of density. Accordingly, so-called density failure is caused. Or in a case in which a background against which images are photographed is restricted to a specified color, color failure is also caused.
Further, in a method of determining a common exposure amount on the basis of a mean value of metered values of respective images, even if a plurality of images which are instructed to be exposed by the same exposure amount are those which are photographed intentionally at underexposure by a photographer in order to reproduce a hi-light image portion, a problem arises in that since the common exposure amount is determined so as to maintain a mean density of the image of a photographic print substantially constant, a photographic print having a finish which meets the photographer's intention cannot be obtained. This is a problem that may be caused in a similar manner to the above-described problem when the photographer takes pictures at overexposure.
Moreover, a series scene signal may be recorded on the magnetic recording layer of an APS film. The series scene signal is a signal which instructs that a specified plurality of images among images which are recorded on the APS film are exposed by the same exposure amount. As described above, there is a problem that it can occur with a high possibility that a print image having a proper finish from each of the images which have been instructed by the FTPM signal to be exposed by the same exposure amount cannot be obtained. The problem may also cause to a specified plurality of images which are instructed by a series scene signal to be exposed by the same exposure amount.